Born in Taiwan, Yih-Wen Kuo began his studies at the National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan, where he received his BEd degree. Upon completing his MFA study at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 1988 and he was awarded an art residency at The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA under Franklin Mint Fellowship. In 2021, he retired with an Emeritus professorship from Northern Illinois University after 31 years of art teaching. Over the years, he has participated in over 200 exhibitions and numerous international symposiums including in Lithuania, Czech Republic, Poland, Taiwan, and Korea; and has traveled and research ceramics in China and Japan. He also received Fellowships from Illinois Arts Council and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. His works are in many private and public collections include Everson Museum of Art, Daum Museum of Contemporary Art, Taiwan Museum of Arts, New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum, etc.
